Representation At Warrant Application Hearings
Have you received notice that someone has taken out an application for your arrest in the Atlanta area or DeKalb County?
It is far too easy to get someone arrested in Georgia. Often, all it takes is even the most general claim of wrongdoing, whether there is any evidence to support the claim or not. At Hirsch Criminal Defense, attorney Matt Hirsch most often sees warrant applications in incidents of alleged theft, battery and domestic violence where law enforcement already refused to make an arrest due to lack of evidence. When the police won’t or aren’t able to secure a warrant, an application for a warrant hearing is completed by the accuser. In many cases, however, a warrant does not issue upon the first outcry of alleged wrongdoing. Instead, the court sets a hearing to determine if there is any evidence – any evidence at all – that a crime has taken place.
How Warrant Application Hearings Work
Attorney Hirsch has experience and a track record of success in defending warrant application hearings in the Atlanta area and DeKalb County. If someone has taken out a warrant application seeking your arrest in Atlanta or DeKalb County, you need to take action quickly in order to protect your rights. You have the right to bring an attorney to the hearing. You must act quickly because most often the court will not grant you a continuance in order to obtain representation. Additionally, the burden of proof is very, very low at a warrant application hearing. If the court finds there is any evidence to support that you probably committed the crime alleged, then the court will issue a warrant and you will be arrested on the spot, or a date will be set for you to turn yourself in at the jail.
A warrant application hearing is not an opportunity to raise defenses once the court determines there is cause for a warrant to issue. You can raise defenses as you go through the process of defending your case. You cannot tell the court at a warrant hearing, “Yes, I did it, but here is why.” As soon as you say “yes, but …” the court has evidence at all to support an arrest and the hearing will stop. Sometimes, if it is in your best interest, attorney Hirsch is able to negotiate an outcome in exchange for a dismissal of the warrant, thereby avoiding your arrest. He is a skilled, experienced negotiator who knows how to protect your rights.
Warrant application hearings are also recorded, which means that anything you say will become part of a record that can be used against you later. He can counter the accusations for you without exposing you to the risk of testifying and being cross-examined by the accuser or his/her lawyer.
Do Not Take Chances With Your Freedom
If you have received notice that someone has taken out a warrant for your arrest in DeKalb County, contact the firm as soon as possible. Attorney Hirsch can minimize the chances that a warrant will issue and can protect you from self-incrimination in the event that it does issue. Call for a consultation at 404-919-7096. You can also use the email contact form.